Drabbles and songs
by suninmypocket
Summary: What happens when I put my iPod on shuffle. ReidxAaron
1. Beautiful

**Beautiful - Akon ft Colby O'Donis and Kardinall Offishall**

"You're beautiful." he whispers. Quiet. Like it's a secret. They're lying in bed, facing each other and just looking. It's silent. But Aaron knows Reid heard him. "I love you." Reid says in reply. A small smile grows on Aaron's face. He kisses Reid lightly, on the lips, and holds one of his hands. "Love you too."


	2. Mad World

**Mad World - Adam Lambert**

Reid is woken by car horns blaring at 6am. Groggily, reluctantly, he leaves his bed and looks out the window of the apartment. Yellow taxis, buses and cars bustle their way through New York City. "Come back..." groans Aaron from their bed. Reid turns smiling, heading back towards the bed. As he climbs in, Aaron rolls onto his side, back facing Reid. Reid presses a kiss to Aaron's shoulder and another to where his shoulder meets his neck. "Too early." Aaron murmurs. Reid chuckles and wraps his arms around Aaron, spooning him. "It's a mad world, baby." he tells him. Aaron scoffs. "Only when you're around."


	3. I Still

**I Still - Backstreet Boys**

"I still love you! I'll always love you!"  
>"Yeah. Which is why you were eating that girl's face, is it?" Reid asked, acidly.<p>

"She kissed me." Aaron protested.

"I didn't see you complaining." They were in the corridor outside Reid's locker.

"Reid!" Aaron pleaded.

"Screw it, Aaron." Reid said, sadly. "I shoulda realised it'd mean nothing to you." He turned and walked off. "Reid!" Aaron called out after him.

The canteen was a bubbling cauldron of noise. Reid was sat at a table, on his own, picking morosely at his food. He stopped, got up and took his tray to the conveyor belt. He was walking towards the exit when someone tapped him on his shoulder. He turned to face them and found himself being kissed by Aaron. Almost against his will, he cupped Aaron's face and kissed back. Eventually, they broke apart. "Now do you believe I love you?" Aaron whispered. Reid looked away. Aaron pushed his chin up with a finger. "Hey," he said, gently. "I kissed you in front of a full canteen. Surely you can trust that I love you." Reid glanced around and saw that nearly everyone there was looking at them. He turned back to Aaron and smiled. "I believe you." Aaron relaxed and kissed Reid again. "Thank you."


	4. Trouble With Me

**Trouble With Me - Take That**

"The trouble with me is I can't trust anyone. I've spent years hiding behind a mask. No one knows the true me and, if they did, I don't think they'd like it. I want to trust you. I want to show you what I'm really like. I want to show you how much I love you." Aaron closes his eyes and allows himself to be held closer to Reid.

"I understand." Reid says and Aaron can hear his voice reverberating through his chest. "You'll have to be patient." he warns Reid. Reid chuckle. "I will be. I love you." he replies, simply. Aaron smiles. "I know. I love you too."


	5. Wonderful Life

**This one is based more on the lyrics of the song than the title.**

**Wonderful Life - Hurts**

Reid stands at the top of a cliff. He closes his eyes and steels himself. He's about to step forward when he hears a voice yell, "Don't you fucking dare jump!" His eyes fly open as he considers the possibilities of who could have followed him here. Not Sarah or Kate because it was a guy's voice. Not Caleb or Pogue, then, because they'd be with their girlfriends. Not Tyler. He was ill and lying in bed in their room. He heard the voice again. "Please, don't jump." Quiet. Pleading.

"Why not?" he asks, bitterly.

"Because it'll hurt people. It'll hurt the people who love you."  
>"No one loves me."<p>

"What about Danvers, or Parry, or Simms?"

"Like they'd care." Bitter. Sour.

"They're looking for you."  
>After a pause, "You're lying." Uncertain. Unsure.<p>

"No, I'm not. They're out, looking for you, because you just disappeared."  
>"They don't care. And, anyway, Tyler's ill."<br>"Not stopping him."

"They don't care." He repeats this, trying to reassure himself.

"Why are you doing this?" The voice changes tack. "You have everything."

Reid is suddenly furious with the voice. "I have nothing!" he yells. "Nothing! No one cares about me. Everyone who ever loved me is dead! I'm alone!"  
>"You have me. I love you."<p>

"No, you don't." Weary. Close to tears.

"I do. Reid, please. Let me help you."

"You can't help. No one can."

"Let me, please."

"You can't. You can't! Because no one fucking can!" Crying. Tears rolling down his cheeks. The voice is quiet for a moment. "Reid. Please. Turn around." Gentle. Kind. Reid turns, crying, sobbing squelchy hiccups. Aaron stands there. "Please." he says and Reid can't take it anymore. Aaron steps closer and closer, taking Reid in his arms, holding him as Reid beats his chest with his fists. Then he stops. Aaron takes a couple of steps back from the edge. Slowly, Reid stops crying. He takes a couple of shaky breaths. "Please," he says, "Don't ever let go." And Aaron replies,

"Never."


	6. Just A Dream

**Just A Dream - Nelly**

Reid is aware of being half-conscious, halfway between being awake and asleep. He can feel someone's arm draped heavily around his waist and someone's hot breath marking his back. He feels that someone press a kiss to the nape of his neck and smile against his skin. He recalls hazy moments of the night. Aaron kissing him with such intensity that he thought he'd never want to kiss another person ever. Aaron looking down at him, with a questioning look on his face, and Reid nodding. Now he is more awake than asleep, but his mind is still fuzzy. Maybe it was all a dream. He pinches his wrist to find out and hisses at the pain. He is now fully awake. "What is it?" Aaron asks.

"Just making sure it wasn't just a dream." Reid replies sleepily. Aaron kisses his neck. "It wasn't a dream." he says and Reid says,

"I know that now."


	7. Livin' On A Prayer

**Livin' On A Prayer - Bon Jovi**

It wasn't unusual to find Aaron at the bar at night. Neither was it unusual to find Reid there too. It was, though, strange to find Pogue there with Reid. Reid, usually so cocky and confident, was having to ask Pogue for help. "Ok, Reid." Pogue said, once he'd ordered a drink. "What was so important that you had to drag me here, away from my girlfriend, to talk?" Reid bit his lip.

"I...um... need your help," he said, "and you're kinda the only one who knows about me being... y'know..."

"Gay." Pogue finished for him. Reid grinned sheepishly. "Okay." Pogue said, giving in. "What's the problem?"

"I um like someone."

"Ok. This is a problem how?" Pogue raised an eyebrow.

"I was getting to that!" Reid said. He took a deep breath. "I like Aaron." In the corner of the bar, unseen by Reid or Pogue, Aaron glanced up at his name.

"You like Aaron?" Pogue repeated, incredulously. Reid scratched the back of his neck. "Um... yeah?"

"And how do you think I could help exactly?"

"It was kinda more that I needed to tell someone than that I needed help..." Reid admitted. Pogue finished his drink. Reid rolled his glass from hand to hand. "I mean," he continued, "it's completely hopeless. I know that. I'm kinda living on a prayer, y'know?"

"No." Pogue replied, bluntly.

"I mean that I'm kinda living in the hope that my prayers will be answered. My prayer being that someday he'll come up to me and say 'Hi, Reid. I love you'. Unlikely, I know."

"You don't believe in God though." Pogue said.

"I know." Reid said. "That's the thing." They sat in silence for a bit, then Pogue said,

"I should be getting back to Kate."

"Okay. Thanks, mate." Reid said. "Thanks for listening to my troubles."

"No problem. See you 'round." And Pogue left. Aaron got up and walked over to Reid.

"Hi," he said, awkwardly. "I love you." Reid blinked.

"This isn't a practical joke, is it?" he asked.

"No!" Aaron said, quickly. "No. I really do love you, it's just I didn't know you liked me back until now and I was scared you'd reject me." Reid looked at him, gauging the truthfulness of his words. Then he grinned and took Aaron's hands. Aaron grinned back. "I love you." he said again. Reid gets up off his seat and presses a kiss to his cheek. "I love you too." he whispered in reply.


	8. Chasing Lights

**Chasing Lights - The Saturdays**

"You remember when we were ten, we used to sneak out at night and chase fireflies." They were lying in, facing each other, in bed. It was one in the morning and the world was silent. "Yeah. We used to run through the fields trying to catch them."

"I remember coming home at seven the next morning and mum rushing downstairs saying 'Where the hell have you been?'" Reid recalled.

"They got used to it though. Eventually they gave up and just said 'Don't stay out to long and don't get lost.'" Reid chuckled and kissed Aaron. They kissed lazily for a minute, then: "We should do that again sometime." Aaron said.

"What? Chase fireflies."

"Yeah," Aaron said, "Why not?"

"Why don't we go now then?" Aaron made to get up.

"Fine by me."

"Aaron!" Reid whined. "I wasn't serious!"

"But I am." Aaron replied. Reluctantly, mainly in order to avoid being dragged out of bed, Reid got up too. "You ready?" Aaron asked, when Reid was done. Reid kissed him as a reply. "Always."


	9. Keep Your Hands Off My Girl

**Keep Your Hands Off My Girl - Good Charlotte**

The music in the club was loud and Reid's head was throbbing in time to the beat. A brunette girl sidled up to him on the dance floor. "Wanna dance?" she yelled over the music. Reid gave an ambiguous shrug. The girl took this as a yes and began grinding against him.

At the bar, Aaron was slightly drunk. Only slightly, but drunk all the same. He glanced up and saw the girl dancing with Reid. Putting down his drink, he got up and stumbling a bit, made his way over to them.

"Hey!" Reid heard Aaron shout over the music. "Keep your hands off my girl!" The girl stopped dancing and turned to Aaron. She slapped him, hard, across the face. "I'm not _your _girl." she said, angrily.

"I wasn't talking to you." Aaron mumbled, groggy from the slap and the drinks. Reid rolled his eyes. "I'm not a girl," he said, "and I'm most definitely _not _yours."

"Which is why you moan my name like you do, is it?" Reid flushed bright red.

"Okay. That's it." He took Aaron by the sleeve and dragged him away. The girl was left standing, shocked.

Outside, Reid stopped. "I'm _not _yours." he reiterated. Aaron kissed him and Reid groaned into his mouth. "Yeah, right." Aaron said, breathlessly, once they'd separated. Reid kissed him again to shut him up.


	10. Something That I Already Know

**Something That I Already Know - Backstreet Boys**

"I hate you." Reid gasped as teeth nipped at his neck.

"Yeah, right, Garwin. Tell me something that I don't already know." They were in the locker rooms, stealing hasty kisses, and bites in Aaron's case, before classes ended. Reid groaned as Aaron hit a tender spot with his biting. Aaron pushed Reid into the lockers and kissed him harder. Reid bit Aaron's tongue and it was Aaron's turn to groan. They broke apart hastily as the school bell rang, signalling the end of classes. "Well, see ya, Garwin." Aaron said, picking up his bag and preparing to leave.

"I...um... love you." Reid said hesitantly. Aaron smiled gently.

"Love you too." he said, quietly, so quietly that Reid almost didn't hear it.

"See you after school?" he asked and Aaron nodded.

"Definitely."


	11. Insomnia

**Insomnia - Craig David**

"So, seems I'm not the only insomniac." Aaron said. Reid had been unable to sleep, so had given up and gone for a walk around the school. He'd found Aaron sitting in the canteen. "No." Reid said, thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry about today, if that's what's keeping you up." Aaron said.

"No, it's something else."

"A problem shared is a problem halved." Aaron said.

"I don't think you could help."

"Try me."

Reid sighed. "I like someone."

"Someone who..."

"Is a guy." Reid finished.

"I take it Parry, Danvers and Simms don't know you're gay, then."

"No."

"It's not one of them you like, is it?"

"No."

"Who is it, then?"

"I... um... I..." Reid trailed off.

"Is it me?" Aaron asked, softly. Reid nodded, not meeting Aaron's eye. "Well, that's good." Aaron said. "Because I happen to like you."

Reid's head shot up in surprise. "Really?"

"Really." Reid grinned. Aaron pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "And don't go forgetting it."


	12. Mr Brightside

**Mr Brightside - The Killers**

Reid stormed angrily into Aaron's room. Aaron looked up from his homework. "Well, aren't you just a Mr Brightside this evening." he commented. Reid just glared. "What's got your knickers in a twist, then?" Aaron asked.

"Caleb." Reid growled. "He's being such a stuck up prat. Don't do this! Don't do that! I can't fucking stand it." Aaron stood up and gave Reid a kiss.

"Don't let him piss you off."

"You try not letting Caleb in his most holier-than-thou mood piss you off."

"I doubt I could."

"Then why are you telling me not to?" Reid said, exasperated. Aaron chucked and kissed him. Reid kissed him back. When they broke apart, Reid was no longer frowning, but grinning. "Thank you." he said.


	13. Vampire Money

**Vampire Money - My Chemical Romance**

"I hate _Dracula_." Reid stated as he and Aaron sat in his room at school.

"Why?" Aaron asked, looking up.

"It's just so old-fashioned and boring."

"Okay."  
>"And it's so unrealistic. I mean, it doesn't answer questions such as do vampires need to piss? Or, if you have, like, a vampire community, do they have shops and businesses? And do they have their own currency? You know, like some kind of vampire money?" Aaron stopped what he was doing and looked up again.<p>

"You ask the most random questions, you know?"

"I know." Reid said, cheerfully. Aaron laughed and leaned across the books splayed on the floor to kiss Reid's cheek. "I love you." he whispered. Reid turned his head and kissed Aaron. "Love you, too."


	14. Love It When You Call

**Love It When You Call - The Feeling**

The girl stepped into the kitchen of the haunted house. The door slammed shut and she spun around, but no one was there. She turned back and screamed. Reid's phone rang. Tyler groaned. "Reid!" he complained. Reid left the room to take the call.

"Hello?"

"Hi." It was Aaron.

"What do you want?"  
>"That's no way to greet your boyfriend! And anyway, you love it when I call."<br>"Yes, I love it when you call, but I'm kinda busy."

"Doing what?"

"I'm watching a film with Caleb, Pogue and Tyler."  
>"Fuck them."<p>

The horror film had been paused and Caleb, Pogue and Tyler were listening to Reid's conversation. "No, I'd rather fuck you." they heard. Caleb's eyes widened.

"I didn't know Reid had a girlfriend!" he said.

"It would explain the thousands of texts he's been getting." Pogue pointed out.

"Okay. Okay." they heard Reid say, "I'll make my excuses." And he hung up.

Reid opened the door and immediately took in the faces of his friends and the paused film. "You heard, then?" Tyler nodded. "Okay, well, I kinda need to go."

"Okay." Caleb said. Reid turned to go.

"Hey! Wait!" Pogue called. "When did you get a girlfriend?"

"I didn't!" Reid called from the front door. "I got a boyfriend!" The door shut, leaving Pogue, Caleb and Tyler shell-shocked.


	15. Saving My Face

**Saving My Face - KT Tunstall**

It wasn't the first time Reid had been pushed against the wall by Aaron. Neither was it the most pleasurable. Second most, maybe, but not most. "You," Aaron said, "are... going... to pay... for that." He said this between bites at Reid's neck. Reid gasped in pain at a particularly vicious bite. "How are you going to do that then?"

"I will fuck you so hard you will be unable to walk properly for weeks."  
>"How's that going to help you save face?"<p>

"It's not about saving my face..." Aaron kissed Reid hard. "It's about making you pay." Reid grabbed Aaron's arms and switched their places. He kissed him hard and passionately and Aaron moaned. "Good luck with that." he said, as they broke apart. He let go of Aaron and walked away, leaving Aaron stunned in the hallway.


	16. Run

**Run - Leona Lewis**

Aaron pushed the door of Nicki's open, and ran. Away from Reid, away from his mistake. He heard the door open again and swing shut. He heard someone call his name, but he ignored them and kept running. But he didn't hear that same person start running after him.

How could he have been so stupid? Yeah, so he'd downed a couple of pints. That was no excuse. No excuse for what he'd done. He'd been cocky, stupid, in walking up to Reid. Aided by drink, maybe, but not drunk. He'd kissed Reid. Just briefly, then he'd pulled back. And had seen Reid's shocked face. So he'd run. He now slowed to a stop, thinking no one was chasing him. He was lucky no one had seen the kiss. He felt a hand on his shoulder, turning him around. Then he felt someone's lips crash into his own. The person pulled back and he saw who it was. "Reid." he gasped.

Reid grinned. "Hey."

"But... you..." Aaron stuttered.

"Look," Reid said, "I know what you're going to say. And just let me say this first. I have liked you for a long time, but I've been too chicken to do anything about it. When you kissed me at Nicki's tonight, I was shocked because I thought you'd never in a million years go for me. I'm sorry if you took that the wrong way. If you'd stayed for a second longer, I would've told you this earlier."

"I'm sorry I didn't stick around long enough for an explanation, then." Aaron smiled and kissed Reid.


	17. ÜBerlin

**Okay, this was the hardest I've had to do so far, so please cut me some slack over using Berlin rather than ****ÜBerlin (which doesn't mean anything in German)**

**ÜBerlin - R.E.M**

"Y'know, I've always wanted to visit Berlin." Reid said. His head was resting on Aaron's chest and they were lying on the white sheets of Aaron's bed. "Oh, have you?" Aaron replied.

"Yup. It's... uh... where my dad met my mum. I kinda wanted to see it. Maybe just as a reminder of times before he died."

"Oh." Aaron was quiet for a moment.

"It's also, or so my mum claims, where I was conceived." Reid said, trying to lighten the mood. Aaron chuckled and Reid felt the reverberations. "I'll make sure we go at some point then." Aaron said. Reid smiled.


	18. Beat Again

**Beat Again - JLS**

"If you ever left me, I think I would die."

"Yeah, right."

"No, I'm serious. My heart would cease to work. It'd never beat again."

"Don't be so theatrical." Aaron said, though secretly he was overjoyed by Reid's admission.

"You love it."

"So maybe I do. What're you going to do about it?"

"This." Reid replied and kissed him. Aaron smiled into the kiss. They broke apart and Aaron took Reid's hand. "I think I'd die if you ever left me, too." He squeezed Reid's hand gently. "I can't live without you and I wouldn't ever want to. I can't imagine a world where we aren't together." Reid squeezed his hand back; cupped Aaron's face with his other hand and kissed him again. "I love you." he whispered.

"I love you." Aaron whispered back.


	19. Say All I Need

**Say (All I Need) - One Republic**

"Tell me. Say it." Whispers permeate the hot, sweaty night air.

"You." Gasps rip through the silence. "You are all I need." Another hitch of the person's breath. "You're all I ever will need and there's no changing that." More gasps rent the night's air, and the silence is ripped in two by screams. Of pleasure. Of pain. "Aaron!" is groaned by one. "Reid!" is yelled by the other. Then, silence. No noise. In fact, a distinct lack of it. Then, a car drives by. The birds begin to chirrup and cheep and noise seeps back into life. The people in the flat sleep now. Oblivious.


	20. Summertime

**Summertime - My Chemical Romance**

From now on, Reid will always remember the summertime. It was summer when he realised he had a crush on Aaron. It was summer, a year later, when Aaron shyly told him he had a crush on him. It was that same summer that he kissed Aaron for the first time. And it is now summer, two years later, and Aaron is on one knee, in front of Reid, holding a blue box, opened, containing a ring. Reid is speechless. He's nodding, shakily. Aaron takes his hand and slips the ring on his finger. Reid hugs him, tightly, still shaking. Aaron hugs back, just as tightly.


	21. Sweet Dreams

**Sweet Dreams - Beyoncé**

There's a chill in the air tonight, but neither Reid nor Aaron can feel it as they walk back from the cinema. They are holding hands. They are laughing. Nothing can get them down tonight. Because, tonight, they are on top of the world and no one can bring them down. They slow down as they reach Reid's street. They savour the moment: neither of them wants it to end. But it will end as they reach Reid's house. Reid kisses Aaron. "G'night." he says, "And thanks for an amazing time."  
>"No problem." Aaron smiles and it's infectious. "Sweet dreams." Reid kisses him once more and walks up the path to his house. At the door, he turns and waves before going in. Aaron waits for a second, then continues home.<p> 


	22. Pictures Of You

**Okay, so the next two are linked.**

**Pictures Of You - The Last Goodnight**

A camera clicked and Reid looked up. "Aaron." he complained. "Stop it!"

"I'm sorry, baby." Aaron said, though Reid could tell he clearly wasn't. "You're just so... so nice to photograph." Reid pouted and Aaron leaned down and kissed him.

"You've already almost filled one photo album with photos of me." Reid said.

"Yeah," Aaron conceded, "But I can never have enough pictures of you."

"Yeah, well. I have none of you." Aaron smiled.

"Reid, I don't like having photos taken of me. You know that."

"Neither do I and that doesn't stop you."

"It's because you looks so perfectly... perfect whenever I take a photo of you that I can't stop." Reid made a discontented noise. Aaron kissed him again. "I'm going to take the film to be developed tomorrow, okay?" Reid nodded. "I'm going to bed." Aaron continued. "Good night."  
>"Night." Reid replied absentmindedly.<p> 


	23. Picture Of You

**This is a continuation of the previous chapter.**

**Picture Of You - Boyzone**

"Reid." Reid looked up from his book as he heard Aaron say his name, warningly. Aaron was flicking through the photos, which he'd picked up earlier that day. "Yes?" Reid said.

"What's this?" Aaron held up a picture. It was of him, sleeping, in their bed.

"It's a picture of you." Reid answered.

"I can see that." Aaron replied. "But what's it doing on my film?"

"I took it." Reid shrugged. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Yes, actually." Aaron said. "You used _my _camera, to take a photo of _me_, without _my _permission."

"That's because you would never have given it to me."

"Too right." Aaron muttered.

"Aw, baby." Reid cooed. "Look, you can fill your album with pictures of me, but the last photo will be my picture of you, okay?" Aaron frowned. Reid got up from where he was sat and joined Aaron. "Baby, don't frown." he murmured and kissed Aaron's cheek. Aaron tried to keep frowning, just to spite Reid, but he gave up and turned and kissed Reid. "Okay." he said, "You can have your photo. Just, no more. Okay?"

"Okay." Reid whispered and kissed Aaron again.


	24. Unmistakable

**Unmistakable - Backstreet Boys**

Reid can no longer mistake this feeling; can no longer pretend to mistake this feeling. The one that bubbles up, unbidden, every time he sees him. Reid's taken to avoiding him. Making sure he's never around at the same time as him. He hopes he's not been noticed. By anyone. He doesn't want to have to answer questions. He knows Sarah knows. He told her ages ago. She knows he's gay, that he likes Aaron. She hasn't told anyone, he thinks. He's pretty sure she hasn't. She is possibly the only one he feels he can trust. Not properly trust; he only trusts himself. That's why he's told no one else about the _other _things. The things he's afraid of, ashamed of. But he can't stop. He doesn't do swimming anymore in case someone sees the cuts littering his body. He makes his excuses every lunchtime; he doesn't eat. His friends look at him worriedly. But they're not worried, he tells himself. If they were, they'd say something. He looks at himself with disgust in the mirror. Disgust, shame, sadness... These feelings are as unmistakable as the ones he has for Aaron. He doesn't hope: there's no point, because hopes never come true.


	25. No More Room To Breathe

**No More Room To Breathe - There For Tomorrow**

"Admit it!" Aaron cried, tickling Reid. Reid laughed and squirmed.

"Never!" he exclaimed. Aaron continued to tickle him. Reid squirmed beneath him, trying to wriggle away from Aaron's hands.

Eventually, Aaron stopped tickling Reid and just lay on him. "Admit it." he said, again.

"No." Reid wheezed, breathless with laughter.

"Okay." Aaron said. "I'm happy to lie here all day." Reid rolled his eyes.

Five minutes later, though, Reid couldn't breathe. "Aaron..." he gasped. "Can't... breathe. No more... room... to breathe..."

"If I get off you, will you admit it?"

"Fine." Reid gave in. Aaron got up slightly. "You're the best at Grand Theft Auto." Reid said. Aaron smiled, triumphantly, and kissed Reid's cheek.

"Thanks, love." he said.


	26. Edge Of The Earth

**Edge Of The Earth - 30 Seconds To Mars**

Aaron found the note in his locker that Monday morning. He unfolded it and read:

Aaron,

I'm sorry to bug you with this. I just needed to get it off my chest. I love you. I'm in love with you. I feel like, every time I'm with you, I'm on the edge of the earth. I'm about to fall and I don't care, because _you're here_. I know we're not friends. And I also know it is unlikely we ever will be. That's why I'm writing you this. Because it's dragging me down. I needed to get it off my chest and, since we've got one month left here, now is as good a time as any. So, yeah. All I can really say is that I'm sorry.

Reid.

Aaron stood, stunned, for a moment. He folded the note up and put it in his bag. Then, he went to find Reid.

Reid was sat, alone, in the cafeteria. Aaron went up behind him and whispered in his ear. "Every time I'm with you, I'm on the edge of the earth." Reid stiffened. "I'm about to fall and I don't care because... because I love you." Reid was shocked, Aaron could tell, to hear this admission. He turned slowly to face Aaron. "You're not joking, are you?" he asked, tentatively. Aaron smiled and shook his head. Relief flooded Reid's face. Aaron extended a hand. Reid took it and stood up. They left the cafeteria, holding hands.


	27. Fader

**Fader - The Temper Trap**

"You've changed." Reid jumped, startled. He turned to face his accuser.

"How so?" he asked.

"You've become a fader." Aaron said. "Not so long ago, you'd have been competing for the dubious honour of being the loudest, drunkest arsehole at the party. Now you're just fading into the background." Reid had to admit that Aaron was right. He didn't go to parties so often now. When he did, he'd just stand in the corner, doing nothing. "D'you want to go home?" Aaron asked. Reid smiled gratefully at his boyfriend. "If you don't mind." Aaron shrugged.

"Nothing's happening. Might as well. Let me just say goodbye." He disappeared into a crowd. Reid was left for a few minutes. Soon, though, Aaron returned. "Let's go then." he said. He took Reid's hand and pulled him through the crowd to the door.


	28. This Is Us

**This Is Us - Backstreet Boys**

They lie, silent, still, in bed. Facing each other. Neither wants to break eye contact. Ever. If they could, they would lie here, still, forever. Trapped in the best moment of their lives. Trapped with the person they want to spend the rest of their lives with. So maybe they aren't trapped. So maybe they are frozen in time and they don't care. If time stopped, right now, they'd be happy. Their hands curl together. Neither wants to break the silence, which reigns like a queen. In this moment, this magical moment, silence makes everything all the more beautiful, all the more special. It is midnight, or just past; neither of them knows, or even cares. One of them whispers, almost as if they're thinking out loud, except they're _not_. "What is this?"

"This is us." is the reply. The answer satisfies the speaker and they sink into silence again. It's almost as if they're in another world. A silent, dreaming world. After they've slept, it will all become a dream, but for now it's tangible, real, theirs.


	29. The Ghost Of You

**This can be read as a continuation of Unmistakable. But it doesn't need to be. Your choice.**

**The Ghost Of You - My Chemical Romance**

Aaron wasn't expecting Sarah to call him. He didn't even realise she knew his number. "It's Reid," she says, her voice trembling as if she's about to cry. "He's... he's dead." Aaron is stunned. He can only parrot the final word back to her.

"Dead?"

"He committed suicide." Sarah explains. "Last night. He left you a note. That's... that's why I rang." She breaks off and Aaron can hear a suppressed sob. "D'you... d'you want me to bring it round?"

"Please." Aaron doesn't know what more to say. Neither does Sarah.

"I'll see you then." she says awkwardly.

"Yeah." he replies. After he hangs up, he has to sit down for a bit because, oh God, _Reid_ is _dead_. Reid who always seems smugly happy whenever Aaron saw him, as if he'd just shagged Aaron's girl and wanted him to know it. This was an irrational assumption on Aaron's part because he doesn't _have_ a girlfriend. But, just recently, Aaron realises, Reid has been avoiding him. The doorbell rings. It is Sarah. Wordlessly, she hands him a piece of folded paper, covered in Reid's scrawl. "How did he do it?" he asks.

"Overdose." Sarah replies, weakly. Aaron nods. "I should go." Sarah continues. Again, Aaron nods. "Y'know," Sarah says, before she leaves. "He really liked you." She smiles slightly and closes the door behind her. Aaron's heart is beating, wildly. Reid, womanising Reid, had liked _him_. Shakily, he unfolds the note.

'Aaron,' it reads, 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you're having to read this in these circumstances. I wish I could have told you, spoke to you, about it. But I'm a fucking coward. I'll try explain it to you. But, please, I'm sorry.' Aaron pauses reading. There are tear splotches and ink smudges here and Aaron finds himself with tears running down his cheeks. 'I love you, Aaron. And I'm sorry that I'm too fucking cowardly to do anything about it. You see, I was ashamed, and disgusted, at what I've been doing to myself. I cut. And I was terrified that you'd reject me and hate me for it. I've been starving myself. I'm sorry.' Aaron is sobbing openly now. 'Neither of these things constitutes as a reason for why I've done this though. All I can say is: I'm sorry, I couldn't take it anymore. I should have told you; maybe it wouldn't have come to this. I'm sorry again. Goodbye. Reid.' Aaron slides down to sit against the wall and cries. If only he hadn't been so cowardly, so afraid, of rejection, he'd have told Reid that he loved him. And now it is too late. Too late. Now there are only what-ifs and if-onlys. He closes his eyes and can picture Reid. Reid as he last knew him. Happy, argumentative, _perfect _Reid. "Reid," he whispers to no one. "Reid..." His voice breaks. "Why? Why did you do this?" He is yelling. "Why have you left me only able to see your fucking ghost? The ghost of you..." He collapses, crying, sobbing. Finally, though, his tears dry and he can't cry anymore. He can't cry. And he lies there, alone.


	30. Good Life

**Good Life - One Republic**

"It's a good life."  
>"What is?"<br>"What we have. Us." Reid explained.

"I'll take your word for it." Aaron yawned. "Go to sleep." Reid glared at him. Aaron smiled, tiredly. "Go to sleep, baby." He yawned again. Reid lay down next to him and rolled onto his side so he could see Aaron. Aaron turned his head. Reid gave him a kiss. "Sleep." he whispered. Aaron smiled and closed his eyes. Soon, he was fast asleep. Reid lay awake for a bit longer. Soon, though, the rhythm of Aaron's breathing lulled him to sleep.


	31. Just So You Know

**Just So You Know - Jesse McCartney**

They were sat on the sofa. Reid was curled into Aaron. Neither spoke. The apartment was silent. They could hear the couple in 11B, next door, arguing. On the other side, 11D, they could hear music blaring, loud enough that they could make out the bass line, but nothing more. Aaron wrapped his arm around Reid's shoulders and pulled him closer. He stroked his thumb across the fabric of Reid's shirtsleeve. Reid relaxed more. "I love you." he said, just audibly.

"I love you, too." Aaron replied.

"Just so you know," Reid continued. "The feelings that I have for you are kind of taking control of me and I don't think I can hide it anymore. In fact, I don't think I want to hide it."

"You want to tell them?" Aaron asked.

"Yeah," Reid replied. "I mean, I know they won't be too happy about it, but I think they should know."

"Okay." Aaron said. Reid looked up at him and Aaron pressed a kiss to his lips. Reid grasped Aaron's hand. "Tomorrow?" Aaron asked.

"Tomorrow." Reid confirmed.


	32. The Kids From Yesterday

**The Kids From Yesterday - My Chemical Romance**

Caleb joined Tyler and Pogue in the cafeteria soon after twelve thirty. "Y'know," he said. "I saw someone, two people actually, one of whom I could have sworn was Aaron, making out in the locker rooms yesterday."

"So?" Pogue asked.

"Well, the thing is... I would have bet on my life that the other one was Reid." Tyler scoffed. "No, really. It definitely wasn't a girl. They had short, blond hair and generally looked exactly like Reid."  
>"But Reid was with us most of yesterday."<p>

"Yeah, that's what I thought." chipped in Pogue.

"It couldn't have been him." Tyler said, confidently. "Reid's straight." Pogue nodded.

"Yeah."

"I know." Caleb mused. "It just kind of threw me, that's all."

"I'm sure it's nothing." Tyler said.

"Yeah, you probably just say Aaron making out with some girl and mistook her for Reid."  
>"Except, I though of that." Caleb confessed. "And there are no girls who look remotely like Reid in our school."<p>

"Coulda been from elsewhere, y'know." Tyler interjected.

"Frankly, the whole idea's a bit weird, to me." Pogue said.

"I know." Tyler agreed. "It's kind of... y'know... absurd."

"What is?" Reid's voice made them jump.

"Caleb here thought he saw you and Aaron feeling each other up yesterday in the locker rooms." Tyler explained.

"Did he now?" mused Reid, looking at Caleb carefully. "Well, I'm afraid I can only confirm Caleb's suspicions as, in fact, Aaron and I are the kids from yesterday, as it were." With this announced, Reid grinned and left. Caleb was stunned.

"Well." he said. "I didn't see that one coming."

"No." Pogue agreed. "No. There's no way that..." he trailed off. Tyler was annoyed.

"Why didn't he tell us sooner?"

"Afraid we'd react like this?" Caleb suggested. "I don't know."

"But at least he has trusted us with it." Pogue pointed out.

"True." Tyler admitted, grudgingly.

* * *

><p>"So, you told them?" Aaron asked.<p>

"Yes." Reid replied. "They know."

"Does that mean I can now kiss you in public?" Aaron asked. Reid smiled.

"Yup. I'm all yours."


	33. All Fall Down

**All Fall Down - Take That**

Reid's fallen. He fell a long time ago. He fell when he started cutting. Sliding the razor blade across his skin, revelling in the sharp pinch of pain and the blood that surges towards the surface. He hides it, of course; he doesn't want anyone to find out. Yet, at the same time, in his mind, he's calling for help because he's become reliant on the pain to tell him that he's alive. To tell him that he's here, on this earth. But now, now he worries that Aaron suspects something. He worries that Aaron is suspicious and, if Aaron _knows_, he'll confront him. And he doesn't want that to happen. But it will and he's resigned to that fact. So, when it does, in the darkened locker rooms, Reid is prepared to fend off questions. "You cut." Aaron states. And now Reid realises that Aaron _does know_ and it feels worse and better than he expected. It feels so good that someone knows, that he doesn't have to keep this secret anymore, but, oh God, someone _knows_. Someone _knows _and, fuck, this is bad and... Reid's panicking. He neither confirms nor denies Aaron's statement, but he _knows _that Aaron has taken his silence as a 'yes'. "We all fall down, Aaron," he says, voice trembling only slightly, "I've just fallen further than most." Clenching his fists to stop himself shaking and willing himself not to break down, biting his lip so he doesn't cry, he leaves the locker rooms and, when he is sure that he's out of earshot, he runs. Leaving Aaron alone, and in shock.


	34. Break Your Heart

**Break Your Heart - Taio Cruz**

That's what he'd said at the beginning. That he'd only break his heart. "I'm only going to break your heart," he'd warned. And, boy, had he been right. Aaron's heart was in pieces, scattered all about him on the floor. And he only had himself to blame for getting too attached. In fact, he's not sure he has all the pieces, which he'll need to mend his broken heart. He's pretty sure Reid has some of them. Why hadn't he listened to Reid? Why had he got so attached? He hurt. All over. The pain is dull, now, like a blunt knife-edge. He's got more used to it, but not used to it enough to be able to ignore it. Maybe he'll never be able to forget. Maybe he'll hurt forevermore. Maybe he'll never recover from his broken heart and, right now, it feels that way. He just wants to curl up and die. Stop living. But he has to carry on, pretend everything is normal, okay, and that he's happy. But he feels as though he'll never be happy again. Reid may have warned him, but he never thought a broken heart would hurt this much.


	35. Something Else

**Something Else - Diamond Rings**

"You are something else."  
>"What do you mean?"<br>"I mean, you're different to everyone else. I've never met anyone who is the slightest bit like you." Reid clarified.

"So, basically, all you're saying is that I am unique?" Aaron said.

"Well, yeah. But I wanted it to sound nicer and more, y'know, romantic." Reid pouted. Aaron grinned. Reid kissed him and soon they were too involved in kissing to think about anything else. "Not only are you unlike anyone I've ever met," Reid panted when they finally broke apart for air. "You are also the best sex I've ever had." He grinned, predatorily, as Aaron noticed that his pupils had dilated. He expected his had too. Reid kissed Aaron, roughly. He dragged him up the stairs and into the bedroom, still kissing him. The bedroom door closed behind them.


	36. In The End

**In The End - Linkin Park**

"What did you say?" Aaron asked.

"It doesn't matter." Reid muttered.

"To me, it does. What did you say?" Aaron persisted.

"Really, it doesn't matter." Reid said.

"No, it does." Aaron said, again.

"I said I love you, okay!" Reid shouted, startling Aaron. "You see! It doesn't matter. In the end, nothing matters!" Aaron was stunned by Reid's response. Reid, realising what he had said, covered his mouth. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he murmured. He turned and was about to run away when Aaron grasped his wrist. "I told you," he said. "It does matter. Because I love you." Reid went still.

"I don't believe you," he said, cautiously. He allowed himself to be pulled back around to face Aaron. Aaron tugged him closer and cupped his face in one hand, while still holding onto Reid's wrist in the other. "I love you," he repeated. Reid looked at him suspiciously, not wanting to be hurt if this all turned out to be a joke. Aaron kissed him, gently. "Trust me, please," he whispered. Reid closed his eyes.

"Okay." Aaron kissed each of his eyelids, then his mouth again.

"Thank you," he whispered against it. Reid opened his eyes and smiled.


	37. Unzertrennlich

**The word 'unzertrennlich' translates from German as 'inseparable', so I've done this drabble based around the English translation.**

**Unzertrennlich - Revolverheld**

When they were young, Aaron and Reid had been inseparable. They'd drifted apart as they had grown older and found other friends. But now they were growing closer again. Not in the same way though; it was completely different.

Caleb first noticed it at a party. Aaron and Reid had been standing next to each other. With anybody else, this would have been considered irrelevant, but, with Aaron and Reid, it was a miracle.

The next time Caleb noticed it was at school. Aaron had been standing if front of his locker, _talking to Reid_. Not yelling, or shouting, or arguing, but talking. Civilly. Caleb had been so shocked that he hadn't looked where he was going and ended up bumping into Kate, who had been walking in the opposite direction. By the time he'd apologised, Reid had gone, leaving Aaron alone and leaving Caleb to question whether he'd been hallucinating or not.

The third time Caleb noticed it was the most decisive. It was at another party. Caleb wasn't drunk, and he was pretty sure that Reid and Aaron weren't either. But they were kissing. On a sofa. And no one except Caleb seemed to have noticed or seemed to care. Caleb could only guess that this was not an irregular occurrence at parties. They broke apart and Reid caught Caleb's eye. And winked. Then returned to kissing Aaron. Caleb stood for a second, then smiled. Reid's relationship with Aaron had come in a full circle. From being inseparable to being enemies and now back to being inseparable again. And Caleb supposed it made sense.


	38. No Love

**No Love - Eminem ft. Lil Wayne**

Everyone can see there's no love lost between Aaron and Reid. Everyone can see they hate each other. They fight almost every day, not always physically, but they always have to be pulled apart. Neither will ever dream of backing down because that would reveal weaknesses to the other, which they would willingly exploit. Aaron and Reid hate each other; everyone knows that.

But not everything is quite as it seems. Behind closed doors, Aaron and Reid do not fight; they do not hate each other. Exactly the opposite, in fact, and, though neither of them will ever admit it, they both know it. The fights are an act, a pretence. An attempted semblance of normality that seems to convince everyone. But, at night, Aaron will apologise for each bruise he has inflicted on Reid and Reid will do the same.

And they go on. Day in, day out. The same routine, but each knowing that soon they will be unable to continue. Because they do not give each other no love.


	39. Weight Of The World

**Weight of the World - Lemar**

Reid carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. The weight caused by not telling anyone anything. He's never told anyone about the way his father abused him, or how his mother has just died of breast cancer. He's never told anyone about the cuts, the starving, the depression. He's never said a word about the suicidal thoughts. Until Aaron.

Reid knows Aaron knew about the abuse; he told him when they were eleven, still trusted each other and were still friends. And now Aaron's noticed a change in him. Brought on by his mother's death. She and Aaron's mum had been very good friends. Of course Aaron knows about the cancer. So, it makes sense for Reid to tell Aaron – who knows most of it already – when he asks what's wrong. It all just comes spilling out of Reid's mouth. He cuts, he starves himself, he has depression, he's thought about suicide. And it feels good to get it off his chest. And he can just _tell_ by the expression on Aaron's face that he won't say a word to anyone else. And the weight of the world has been lifted from Reid's shoulders.

But there's one thing that he'll never tell. Aaron or anyone. His deepest, greatest secret. He has a crush on Aaron and he doesn't know what to do.


	40. On Your Head

**On Your Head - Tiffany Page**

Reid knew Aaron was pissed off at him. He was sulking on the other side of the hall during the spring dance. "I'm going over to him," Reid told his friends.

"On your own head be it," they warned. He ignored them. As he approached Aaron, he was waylaid by a pretty looking girl with green eyes. "Do you want to dance?" she asked.

"No," Reid replied. Disappointed, she moved away. Reid looked up to where Aaron had been, but saw no one. "Fuck!" he swore. He looked towards one of the doors. He caught a glimpse of Aaron leaving. Swearing again, he dodged through the crowds and followed Aaron along the corridor and down a flight of stairs. "Aaron!" he called. Reluctantly, Aaron stopped and turned to face Reid sulkily.

"What?"

"Come back upstairs." Reid said.

"Why should I?" Aaron asked. "There's nothing to fucking do because my _boyfriend _refuses to fucking tell anyone that we're together!"  
>"I'm sorry!" Reid said, wearily. "I thought we'd been over this."<p>

"Yeah, we have!" Aaron yelled. "But each time we do, your arguments get weaker and weaker!"

"I'm sorry I can't be perfect!" Reid hissed.

"I wouldn't care," Aaron said, "if it weren't for the fact that you go around casually flirting with every fucking girl you see!"

"I don't!" Reid protested.

"Yeah? What about that one that went up to you earlier?"

"I told her to go away, so I could... Oh, forget it!" Reid shouted. "You want fucking proof that I love you?" He grabbed Aaron's wrist and dragged him upstairs and into the hall. He pulled Aaron around to face him. Then, he kissed him. For a moment, there was nothing, no reaction, from everyone else. Then, silence. Someone popped a party popper over them. They pulled apart and Reid hissed, but not as harshly as before, "Happy now?" Aaron smiled.

"You've got streamers on your head."


	41. Incomplete

**Incomplete - Backstreet Boys**

Reid was sat in the apartment, waiting for Aaron to come home. Aaron hadn't been in a very good mood recently. Reid wondered if he was finding their relationship boring. He hadn't dared to ask, as Aaron would only have snapped at him. He heard the key in the lock of the door, but stayed sat on the sofa. Aaron walked into the sitting room and sat on the sofa, but at the opposite end. He looked weary. Tentatively, Reid asked, "Are you okay?" For a moment, Aaron looked as if he might ignore the question, then he looked as if he might snap at Reid for asking the question. Then, he sighed. "No," he confessed, quietly. "No, I'm not." Reid waited for a second, gauging Aaron's reaction.

"What's the matter?" he asked. Aaron said nothing for a bit and Reid wondered if he'd overstepped some sort of line. "My mum's... she's..." Reid waited for Aaron to continue speaking. "My mum's in a coma. She had a car crash on Monday last week and..." Aaron trailed off. Reid shifted along the sofa to sit next to him. He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and rubbed his hand up and down Aaron's back. Aaron started crying. Reid just sat there, comforting him. Finally, Aaron stopped crying. "I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" Reid asked.

"For being a horrible boyfriend this past week and a half. I..." Reid cut him off.

"Aaron, it's fine." Aaron shook his head.

"No, it's not fine. I should have told you. You could have helped me deal with it earlier." Reid was silent, so Aaron continued. "I realised this week that I can't live without you." He said this hesitantly. Reid listened. "Without you, I... I don't know. I feel kind of incomplete. It's like I need you here, with me, all the time. I don't know how to explain it any other way."

"I know what you mean." Reid said, quietly. Aaron looked up and smiled. Reid kissed him and smiled too.


	42. It's My Life

**It's My Life - Bon Jovi**

"It's _my_ life, Caleb! I can do what I want with it!" Reid yelled.

"If you want to fuck up completely, that's fine by me!" Caleb shouted back.

"How is this fucking up?" Reid asked. "How is going out with Aaron fucking up?"

"It just won't end well, Reid. Trust me."

"No. I'm not going to trust you." Reid said. "Because the last time you told me that and I did, you ended up almost getting yourself killed! So, no, I won't trust you."

"Don't expect me to clean up after your mess." Reid stared at Caleb, incredulously.

"Who fucking says I'll make a mess of this?" he hissed. "Who fucking says?" Caleb was taken aback by Reid's anger. Reid glared at him, then stalked off, leaving Caleb on his own.


	43. Monster

**Monster - Professor Green ft. Example**

"Raaah! Raaah! I'm a monster!" Reid roared. He picked up Aaron's cousin and spun her round and round. She giggled happily. Reid put her down and she stumbled about dizzily. "I'm dizzy, Uncle Reid."

"You make me feel old," Reid complained, jokingly. "I'm not old enough to be your uncle! Neither am I actually your uncle! I'm your cousin's boyfriend."

"I don't care! You're Uncle Reid!" she told him.

"Fine," Reid grumbled, jokingly. "Uncle Reid it is." She laughed and ran off to join her brother. Aaron came up behind Reid and wrapped his arms around him. "You're good with them," he commented. Reid leaned back into Aaron.

"I suppose I am," he said.


	44. Rude Boy

**Rude Boy - Tiffany Page (cover)**

"Reid. Reid. Reid, wake up." Someone was shaking Reid's shoulder, trying to get him to wake up. Reid groaned and rolled over. "Reid! You need to wake up!"

"Fuck off." Reid grumbled.

"Aren't you a rude boy," the voice commented. "You need to get up!"

"No. Go 'way." Reid mumbled, blearily, still half asleep.

"Reid, it's half past ten and you said you'd meet Tyler at ten."

"Fuck off. Wanna go back to sleep."

"Tough, you need to get up." Reid ignored the voice. "Oh, for fuck's sake!" the voice exclaimed. Reid felt the duvet shift and then move off him. Annoyed, he opened his eyes. "Hey!" he yelped. Aaron grinned and gave him a kiss.

"Good morning," he said. He turned and left the room, leaving Reid no choice but to get up and follow him.


	45. Have A Nice Day

**Have A Nice Day - Bon Jovi**

Reid was worried. Not overly so, but worried all the same. He didn't know what to do. Maybe worried wasn't quite the correct description. And maybe saying he wasn't overly worried was also wrong. The truth is Reid was fucking terrified. For all his feigned confidence, he was terrified. Terrified of doing the simplest thing. Except, for him, it wasn't that simple. The so-called simple act of asking someone out was somewhat complicated by the fact that the someone he would be asking out was Aaron. Aaron's best friend, Ryan, had come up to him earlier that day and told him that Aaron had a crush on him and that if he ever hurt Aaron in any way whatsoever, he could expect to be hurt by Ryan. Reid had quickly reassured Ryan that he had no intention of hurting Aaron as he reciprocated the feelings. That's when Ryan had told him to ask Aaron out. And that's how Reid found himself in this situation.

He'd at first thought of going up to Aaron and asking him out. But then, he realised he couldn't do that in front of everyone. So, he waited. He waited for Aaron to be alone. He stood in front of his locker and waited. And waited. And at last Aaron came. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Reid. Reid opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't say a word. He tried again. And again. And still he couldn't say anything. He was too much of a coward; he was scared. "What he's trying to ask is whether you'll go out with him." Reid heard Ryan say this from behind him. Hastily, he nodded. Aaron was still for a bit, saying nothing and Reid travelled from fucking terrified to fucking frightened to death. And then, Aaron nodded. And it was clear that he was as surprised that Reid likes him as Reid was when he found out that Aaron liked him. "Well, since that's sorted," Ryan said. "I'm off. You boys have a nice day." He grinned and left Reid and Aaron to stand there, both a bit shocked.


	46. When She Turns 18

**When She Turns 18 - Christian TV**

"Daddy!" the little girl called. "I'm going on the swings!" She rushed off, leaving Aaron and Reid trailing in her wake. Aaron made to hurry after her, but Reid held him back. "Don't," he said. "Let her try this on her own."

"But she could hurt herself or..."

"Aaron. Calm down." Reid said. "You don't need to treat her like she's made of china. It's better if you don't."

"But..." Aaron started.

"When she gets older, when she turns eighteen, she won't thank you for it."

"I know, but..." Aaron trailed off.

"I know it's going to be hard." Reid soothed.

"It's because I've never... I've never had a kid to look after before. Even if she is adopted." Reid took his hand. Aaron squeezed it gently in return.

"I know. Just... try not to wrap her up in cotton wool. Protect her, yes, but let her make her own mistakes. Let her get used to the world."

"I agree with you, but about the mistakes part..." Reid chuckled and kissed Aaron.

"You're adorable when you're so protective." Aaron kissed him.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look at me, daddy!" their daughter yelled from the swings. They walked slowly over to join her, smiles never leaving their faces.


	47. Breathe Easy

**Breathe Easy - Blue**

Aaron can't breathe easy. He's slowly suffocating under the weight of stagnating secrets and his hatred for himself. He can't sleep, he can't eat. He's running out of energy, out of enthusiasm. He's been tempted, once or twice, to pick up a knife, to pick up some pills. But he hasn't, yet. It can't be long, though, until he can't resist the pull. He doesn't know what he'll do, what he can do, when that happens. He can tell it won't be long, though, he can sense that he's breaking, that he's falling to pieces. _And no one notices_. It's that that really gets to him. That no one notices he's falling apart right in front of their eyes. But, then again, no one could help if they did notice. Except maybe one person. And that one person was the one that Aaron sought to hide his fragility from the most. Though, it clearly hadn't worked because, one night, at the bar, he'd approached Aaron. There'd been the brush of the other's lips on his cheek and a whispered "let me help you". And then he's gone, slipping through the crowds. Aaron follows, helplessly. Outside, it is quiet and Reid is waiting. Hesitantly, Aaron steps towards him. Reid raises a hand and strokes Aaron's cheek with his calloused thumb. "You'll let me help you?" he asks. Aaron nods, unbidden, but he knows that Reid _can _help. And that Reid _will _help. So, he nods again. To make it real.


	48. Hollywood

**Hollywood - Marina & The Diamonds**

"My parents are in Hollywood, come over to mine," Aaron suggested. Reid looked at him, quizzically.

"Hollywood?"

"My sister wanted to go." Aaron explained. Reid nodded.

"Okay," he said. "I'll come over." They walked out of the parking lot and to Aaron's house. The moment that they had got in, Aaron pressed Reid up against the wall and kissed him. Reid kissed back and soon they were fighting to be dominant. Neither won, as their lungs demanded air and they had to break apart. "So," Reid said. "This is the only reason you invited me over? I mean, I'm not complaining, but I am a bit curious."

"Pretty much." Aaron shrugged. "I was struggling not to jump you in the middle of a lesson." Reid rolled his eyes. Aaron grinned and Reid kissed him, lazily. They kissed slowly this time, savouring the feel of each other's lips and tongue. Eventually, they broke apart. Neither spoke as Aaron took Reid's hand in his own and pulled him upstairs and into his room. The door closed.


	49. We Weren't Born To Follow

**We Weren't Born To Follow - Bon Jovi**

Reid grabbed Aaron's arm as he walked past, following his class to the gym. "Come with me," he said.

"But..." Aaron gestured, weakly, towards the gym, into which the last of his classmates was disappearing.

"We weren't born to follow like blind sheep, Abbot." Reid said, scornfully. Aaron took this as a challenge.

"What're we doing then?" Reid grinned.

"Finding an unlocked janitor's cupboard," he said. Aaron felt all the blood in his body rush towards his crotch. Reid leaned in close. "Like that, don't you?" he said, looking pointedly downwards. Aaron growled and dragged him off to find that promised janitor's cupboard.


	50. Arms Of Mary

**The last one! Finally. I hope you have enjoyed it, and I hope you enjoy this just as much.**

**Arms of Mary - Boyzone**

He was the only one there, in the sterilised white of the hospital room. Except, there was one other, lying in the bed. Reid was almost falling asleep. But he couldn't, he mustn't. Because Aaron was lying in the bed. And there was no way that Reid was going to leave Aaron for _sleep_. He forced his eyes open once more. Aaron's chest rose and fell. Reid nibbled at the side of his thumb, worried.

Aaron could hear the constant blip of the heart monitor. He didn't know, couldn't remember, how he'd got here. His eyelids were glued together with gunk. Slowly, he forced them open. Then, closed them again; the hospital light had induced a painful burning sensation in his eyes. "Aaron?" he heard. He tried to speak, but all that came out was a strange, gargling noise. Someone helped him to drink some water and he tried again. "Wha' happen'd?" he asked.

"You collapsed during Dr Bairstow's lecture."

"Ah."

"Yeah. You were lying in Mary Cooper's arms; she was keeping you propped up. When the ambulance came, Dr Bairstow told me to accompany you. I think she knows."

"S'fine." Aaron looked at Reid. His eyes were bleary and bloodshot, his t-shirt rumpled. "Sleep, baby," he said. Reid smiled and leaned back in the hospital chair. He yawned. Soon, he fell asleep, and Aaron, despite having been unconscious for the best part of twenty four hours, joined him.


End file.
